We are celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and over the last few weeks, we’ve been sharing some of the recipes that Disney has released in honor of the occasion. This week, we’ve seen a new special recipe shared on Disney Parks Blog from Walt Disney World Chef Kevin Chong, who has used his Korean heritage and his “Mama Chong” to inspire his cooking. The Koran Fried Chicken Bowl is full of Korean flavors, featuring double-fried chicken thighs tossed with Gochujang sauce, sesame seeds, green onions, and namasu (pickled cucumbers).
“I was born in Korea, but growing up in Hawaii helped me see the importance of celebrating diversity and understanding each other’s cultures,” Chef Kevin said. “One of my favorite memories from living in Hawaii is the shared expression of Aloha – or love – through food. Sharing a meal together is one of my favorite ways to experience different cultures.” If you’d like to recreate this dish at home with your family, click here for a printable version of the recipe!
Chef Kevin Chong
Korean Fried Chicken Bowl with Cucumber Namasu Recipe
CUCUMBER NAMASU:
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS FOR CUCUMBER NAMASU:
Combine rice wine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumbers and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to 1 day.
GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
1/2 cup gochujang paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS FOR GOCHUJANG SAUCE:
Combine gochujang paste, ketchup, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
DOUBLE-FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS:
Oil, for frying
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless
chicken thighs
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
DIRECTIONS FOR DOUBLE-FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS:
Place a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet. Set aside. With caution, heat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 325°F. Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Whisk potato starch, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or pie plate. Coat chicken thighs in flour mixture. Carefully fry chicken for 3-4 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain chicken on a reserved cooling rack set over the baking sheet. With caution, increase oil heat to 375°. Fry chicken a second time for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Return to cooling rack.
KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN BOWLS:
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2 green onions, sliced
3 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
TO SERVE:
Pour gochujang sauce into a large bowl. Purée with an immersion blender until smooth. Add chicken to a bowl and toss until coated. Add sesame seeds and sliced green onions to the bowl and stir to combine. Evenly divide rice among 4 bowls. Top rice with chicken and cucumber namasu. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
The post Disney Recipes: Korean Fried Chicken Bowl for AAPI Month first appeared on DIS.